What is running economy?
The oxygen cost of running at a given speed. Two runners with identical VO₂max can differ by 30–40% in how much energy each kilometre costs them.
Running economy measures how much oxygen you consume to run at a particular speed, usually expressed as millilitres of oxygen per kilogram of body mass per metre travelled. A lower number means less energy per stride, which translates directly into a faster pace at the same physiological cost.
It is one of the three pillars of distance performance, alongside VO₂max and the fraction of it you can sustain, and it explains a large part of why race results do not follow lab numbers. Two runners with the same aerobic ceiling can differ substantially in economy, and the more economical one wins.
What influences it: biomechanics such as ground contact time, vertical oscillation and cadence; footwear, where modern carbon-plated racing shoes improve economy by around 4% on average; running surface; gradient; and, over years, the accumulated structural adaptation of tendon stiffness and neuromuscular coordination that comes simply from having run a lot.
What is worth knowing before you try to change it: most of the between-runner variation is structural rather than trainable gait. Deliberate form modification produces modest effects at best, and often makes economy worse in the short term as you override a self-optimised pattern. The reliable levers are consistent volume, strength work, and — bluntly — shoes.
Key numbers
| Elite | ~0.180 mL O₂/kg/m | at 16 km/h reference speed |
|---|---|---|
| Trained | ~0.195 | moderately trained runners |
| Between-runner spread | 30–40% | at equal VO₂max |
Work it out for yourself
Running economy calculator — Estimate your own cost of running from cadence, contact time and stride metrics.
Frequently asked questions
How do you improve running economy?
The best-supported routes are consistent training volume over years, heavy resistance training and plyometrics, and racing footwear. Deliberate gait modification has a much weaker evidence base and frequently backfires in the short term.
Is running economy the same as efficiency?
Not exactly. Economy is the oxygen cost at a given speed; efficiency is the ratio of mechanical work done to energy expended. Economy is what is actually measurable in a running context, and it is what the literature reports.
Sources
- Barnes & Kilding (2015). Running economy: measurement, norms, and determining factors. Sports Medicine - Open.
- Moore (2016). Is there an economical running technique? A review of modifiable biomechanical factors. Sports Medicine.
Related explainers
Glossary: Cr (Cost of Running), Running Economy (RE)